The Greater Good
by Rubygirl283
Summary: Kole Davidson, from Snowpoint City, is fighting against Ora Newport, who has recreated Team Rocket, five years after Red took the seat of Champion. He fights for the right to live, friendship, and the greater good.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: The Butterfly Effect**

"_Villains are not born. They are made."_

Ora, to anyone who didn't know her personally, would have seemed to be an innocent fourteen year old. However, she was not. Between going out with her photography club, playing with her little sister, Shirley, and sessions with a personal tutor, she was beaten by her extremely rich and successful father. "Make sure he's happy" played over and over like a broken record in her head.

Her father was rarely around. He worked nearby at Silph Co., where he was the head of a research group and was also a corporate executive. He brought in large sums of money, but was rarely home. When he _was _home, he was demanding of his wife and two daughters.

Ora had seen this all for too long. Wearied eyes hoped for something more than a mother who refused to leave. She told Shirley, who she adored, "We're leaving. And we're taking Adolpho. Pack up and I'll meet you at the front door after your lessons."

Shirley was terrified. She nervously ran a finger through her hair, which was long and the same dark brown as their mother's. "What if Mother sees us?"

"Tell her you're playing a game. Or don't let her see." Ora gave her a reassuring pat.

"Okay..."

A few hours later, the Mime Jr., Adolpho, was perched on Ora's shoulder, and Shirley was dragging her bag along. They were successful in getting past their mother.

Ora spoke to Shirley, telling them how they'd live. "I have 300 pokedollars that I brought along, which isn't enough for a hotel, but we'll be fine to stay at Pokemon Centers."

"You mean like the homeless people?"

Romping along without a care, Adolpho silently mimicking her, she declared, "We _are_ the homeless people now, Shirley! We get to do whatever we want as long as nobody finds us!"

"Mime! Mime!" Adolpho cried out.

Ora stopped, startled. They listened for a minute and heard a car rolling along on the winding dirt path that lead into Saffron City. Shirley threw her suitcase into the undergrowth by the side of the road, Ora throwing hers in as well. She dived in, then pulled Shirley in with her. They remained like that for a few minutes.

The car that had been driving on the old backroad stopped. Ora's heart skipped a beat as the man who got out was none other than their father.

"Shirley?" He looked into the undergrowth. "Ora?"

He didn't _sound_ mad. But, of course, as Ora had learned, that was when he was really at his maddest. His slipped an icy mask on so as to detract from the awful things he was about to do.

"Girls, what are you doing? Come on out. I won't hurt you."

Shirley twitched uncomfortably. Ora held her down from his vision.

"You had suitcases, didn't you?" He opened the car door and got something, but Ora couldn't see what. "Come on out. I saw you hide. Get out here right now."

Shirley, who had been shaking, stood up. In the blink of an eye, her life had been claimed. He shot her, and she flew back without a word. Ora witnessed in horror, giving a small squeak.

"Darling Ora, stand up, please. Come to Daddy."

Ora, scared, did as told. She had no idea what happened. She was dazzled, dazed, and then she was lying on the forest floor, next to Shirley, staring into her dead eyes. They were hollow. They stared back, unblinking.

She laid there for about an hour and a half, whimpering and crying in pain, both emotional and physical, before she was air-lifted to the local hospital. Her father had gone home and shot their mother in the arm for being careless, and called it an attempted burglary. Somehow, they believed him.

Several weeks later, Ora witnessed her mother commit suicide. She took the gun - and it had still been warm, and oh so smooth and perfect - and killed her father as well. She had laughed as she put the gun back in her mother's arms.

The figure of her dead father, crumpled like a piece of paper, was glorious, but she couldn't let it stop there.

In her wheel chair, she wheeled herself over to a nearby phone, and dialed a number she had memorized.

Ring...

Ring...

"Hello?"

"Tobias Aldridge, correct? This is Ora Newport."

"Miss Newport? What's wrong?"

"I need you to come to the mansion. I have a business proposal for you."

"Why can't we talk over the phone."

Ora remained silent.

"...I'll be over in a moment. Just hold tight."


	2. Guinea Pigs

**Chapter One - Guinea Pigs**

"Hey, Kole!"

Kole looked over to see his best friend, David, was waving him over. The stuffy hallways provided little comfort to the students at Snowpoint High School, who were stuck in heavy jackets all year. David, who, despite the freezing temperatures, managed to stay tan all year long, seemed excited, as he usually did when he had had some odd idea, and, of course, Kole was to be dragged in.

"What is it this time, David?"

David smiled and pointed at a flyer pinned to a cork board. "Look. We can sign up to get paid to travel to Kanto for drug experimentation!" He smiled wider. "Pack your swim trunks, Kole! We're gonna sign up and get out of this glacial desert!"

Kole laughed once. "We live in Snowpoint, David. Why in the world would I have swim trunks? Besides that, are you nuts? I'm definitely not going to be a test subject, letting strangers in a strange place poke me with sticks and prick me and pinch me. It's definitely not safe, and I'm not letting you do it either."

David punched him in the shoulder. "You're such a wuss!"

Kole rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right, well, this wuss is going to class. You've been trying to get away from Snowpoint since we were in elementary school, and you still haven't realized that you're going to have to wait until you're an adult."

David scowled. "Well you want to become Pokemon Champion. I mean, seriously, how many Champions come from small towns like Snowpoint?"

Kole smirked, beginning to trot to his chemistry class. "Champ Red _and_ Green came from small towns. So there. By the way, deadline on submissions were yesterday."

David huffed and turned away, heading to his own class, mumbling to himself.

* * *

That night, Kole sat in his room, prepared to go to bed. His bed had many the warm blanket to keep him toasty throughout the night. Looking over to his Glaceon, Rain, he smiled at her and said, "I'm glad he missed the deadline on that drug subject thing. He probably would have done it if he'd seen it earlier."

Rain purred her agreement. Downstairs, Kole heard the doorbell ring. Astonished, he looked over at his clock. It was 10:36, the glowing red lights burning into his eyes. Rain lifted her head, as if seconding his surprise.

"Who would be out and about at 10:30?"

He stood up and walked to the top of the stairs, where he had a direct view of the front door. No one had answered the door, so he thudded down the stairs and opened the front door to be met with David's mother in her night gown. Shocked, he ushered the crying mother inside.

"Kole! You're still here! You have to go help David!"

"What do you mean? What happened? Did David fall off the roof again?"

"No!" She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. She pulled her night gown tighter and continued crying. "Some men came and took David away from me! I followed them and they took him and other boys your age out to a bunch of trucks and herded them in like cattle. I came over to see if you'd been taken, too!"

Kole blinked a few times, took a deep breath, and pinched himself. Upon seeing the crying mother still in front of him, he leapt up. "I have to go!" He ran upstairs and gathered up Rain. She screeched and threw her dark ears behind her; she didn't like being handled as such. Kole took no mind to it, hurdling himself out of the door, yelling behind him, "Wake my parents up!"

In his socks and pajamas, he treaded on the snow, occasionally slipping. His dark hair became soaked from the snow landing on him, but he took no notice. All around he saw footprints and disturbances in the snow. Some had been struggling, others had gone willingly.

On the edge of town, he was just a second too late, and stoof breathlessly watching three large vans with a red "R" painted on the side drive away with his neighbors and classmates.

Kole recognized that R. It had been at the top of the sign-up sheet.

"Wait..." He realized what he was doing and began running after the trucks. "Stop!"

A man in a dark cap stuck his head out of a passenger-side window and yelled, "Go home, twerp! We got business to attend to!" They turned the bend, and the man's laughter echoed in the night air, leaving a bitter taste in Kole's mouth.

He knew the person to turn to, if he hadn't been taken as well. Kole doubted this, seeing as he wished to turn to the town's gym leader, Basilio.

The rumor was that Basilio fought his way through the mountains, and upon reaching Snowpoint, put Candice to shame in battle. Candice left, and Basilio took her place. In the five years since then, he took effective control as the most powerful man in Snowpoint.

He couldn't feel his feet, but persisted through the cold snow to Basilio's mansion, where he pounded on the door.

For the first time in five years, Kole realized how old Basilio was. When he opened the door, he saw that what used to be dark brown hair was now showing strips of white. His eyes were sunk into his eye sockets, and his face had grown thin and tired. He was still tall and broad as ever, which was what kept him different from the other old men in town.

He had a deep voice, but he spoke softly. Basilio squinted and said, "Who is it?"

"It's Kole Davidson, sir. You need to do something! I know it's late, I'm sorry, I just -"

"Good, you better be sorry for waking an old man. Come in, I'll make you some tea. Just calm down.


	3. Basilio

**Chapter Two - Basilio**

Kole had never been inside Basilio's mansion. No one had. They all just knew it was big and fancy on the outside, so they figured it was big and fancy on the inside as well.

"Thank you sir, but I don't drink tea."

"Fine, I'll just make some for myself."

Basilio took him into a side room and gestured for Kole to sit down in a large leather couch. Kole accepted and watched as Basilio shuffled away to a kitchen somewhere to make himself some tea.

It was no secret that Basilio was rich. Just now he had been wearing a silk night robe. Everybody saw him in fine clothes, and he had his own mansion built, but nobody knew where he got the money. Not a whole lot was known about Basilio - if it ever came up, he changed the subject.

All around Kole, he saw pictures and books which somehow survived the trip through the mountains unscathed. Or perhaps he brought them here at a later time? This many pictures and books would need a moving van.

Suddenly, Rain arched her back. She bore her claws, tearing into Kole's lap. He let out a yelp. "Rain! What're you - ?"

There was a purr from the doorway. A persian? Nobody knew Basilio had a persian. Yes, he had pokemon from Kanto and Johto, but Persians were rare, even there. Kole eyed it in wonder as Rain hissed.

The persian, with silky cream-colored hair, slunk over to the two, looking at Kole with eyes that proved intelligence on a human level. Kole whispered, "Rain, calm down." Hesitantly, Rain saw back down in his lap. Kole slowly reached out a hand, hoping the persian would sniff him and be satisfied.

However, the persian simply batted it away with his paw. It mewled once and looked at Kole with annoyance - _I am not just some dumb animal!_ it seemed to say.

Basilio reentered with a pot of tea and two cups. "Persian!" He commanded it with authority. "I have brought Kole into my house as a guest. You respect him and treat him as such!"

Persian meowed and rubbed against his legs as he went to sit across from Kole. He placed the tray on the coffee table in between them and pured himself a cup of tea. He smiled and said, "I apologize. I brought an extra cup in case you changed your mind. It's wonderful tea, from Erika in the Kanto region. She specializes in grass types. Your glaceon would do well to tear them apart."

"No, but thank you, Basilio." Kole swallowed and looked up at the man preparing his tea. "Basilio, I think you an I are the only male trainers left here." Kole petted Rain nervously. "Or even the only men, period. Pretty much all of my male classmates, as I saw, were herded onto trucks and taken. Some of the fathers were taken as well."

Basilio looked unconcerned, sipping his tea calmly. He set it down and looked up at Kole. "Are you sure it wasn't just a nightmare?"

"Yes, I'm sure! I watched them drive away, and one of the drivers shouted something at me!"

"Hmm." Basilio took another drink of his tea.

"The vans had a red 'R' painted on the side of them!"

Basilio choked. He set the cup down and coughed a few times. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! It was on a flyer at school, too! They were accenting signup for drug experimentation in Kanto."

"But surely that many people weren't dumb enough to sign up?"

"No. David Mckinney was my best friend, and we talked about it, but we missed the signup deadline. His mom came over and said he'd been taken. My sister wasn't touched, and she's a well-known trainer, so wouldn't they want to take her, too, if they were wanting trainers? I think they're only taking guys, or mostly guys."

Basilio stared at the table, as if lazers would shoot from his eyes and catch it on fire. He seemed intensely furious, and was thinking hard. Kole glanced at Rain uneasily.

Basilio's head shot up and he concentrated on Kole. "Kole, can I trust you with a very deep, dark secret?"

Kole blinked. "Who would I have to tell it to? My friends are all gone."

Basilio laughed once, a raspy _ha_, deep in the back of his throat. "There is always someone, I assure you. Either way, you seem to be the only person around here that I can turn to. You have motivation as well, they took your friend. So I'll have to tell you. Come with me." He stood up, leaving the tea behind. Rain weaved around Kole's neck and they followed closely behind


	4. Precious

**Chapter 3 - Precious**

They passed through rooms upon rooms; if Kole had had the time, he would have studied each room, ifnot to learn more about Basilio, then to admire his abundant wealth. Basilio kept up a quick pace, Persian keeping up just as well. He had aged gracefully. Kole struggled to keep up.

They went up a large, grand staircase, through a hallway and a few more rooms, and then they stopped.

"We've reached it. My hall of memories." Basilio looked at Kole and spoke threateningly. "You do know the danger of trying to raise something against me for what I'm about to show you?"

Kole weakly replied, "No."

Basilio looked at him sternly. "I have more power and wealth than you will ever imagine. Any attempt you make to fight me will end in your ultimate destruction if I truly go all out. If you go against me, you will not be able to find your friends, or live. What you are about to see isn't the me that you see now."

Kole nodded. "Ok. I won't go against you. Just help me, please, Basilio."

Basilio nodded and took a key from around his neck. While he unlocked the door, he stated flatly, "My name isn't Basilio, by the way." He opened the door with a flourish, and the first thing Kole saw was the same big red 'R' on the wall that had been on the truck.

Kole gasped and turned to Basilio, who wasn't really Basilio, but... _someone._ "Who are you? What the hell did you do to my friends?"

"I did absolutely nothing to your friends. I am as much a part of this town as you, and I wish to get them back as well." He grimaced at Kole. "Step inside and I'll explain all of this to you. Remember what I said just now. This isn't the me that I am now."

Kole was angry, but he stepped inside anyway. The walls were painted black, leaving the small room feeling eerie, even after Basilio turned on the lights. The red 'R' stared at both of them with a life of its own. Persian stood at the doorway, then slunk away, leaving the young and the old alone.

"My name is Giovanni, and I am the second generation of leaders of the group that took this town's men. Team Rocket. They are a mafia centered in the Kanto region. Team Rocket specializes in the collection of strong Pokemon, used to beat the money out of people; their ultimate goal is world domination." He shrugged. "At least, that's who it was when _I_ was leader."

In the room, the back wall had the red 'R.' There was a wooden desk, an armchair, a glass case, and an orange suit on a hanger. Giovanni sat down in the armchair with a wistful sigh. "This was my desk. This was my chair. That was my symbol." He nodded to the glass case. "That was my ring, look at it if you want." He swiveled the chair around to face the suit. "That was _my_ suit. It costs more than your entire wardrobe, practically glows in the dark, and I had ten of them." He turned back around to see Kole, who was looking rather sickly. "Oh, come now. You're pale as a ghost. Calm down. Let's look at that ring, hm?"

Giovanni stood up and opened the case. He plucked the ring and held it up to the light. It was a simple, gold band, a smooth crystal dome, and a red 'R. He spoke softly, remembering. "This was my mother's before me." He hung his head. "I always wanted to be better than her. While she was leader, she found proof of Mew. She only cared about money. She drank up the fame and looked down on me and my Pokemon. I was determined to beat both with one stone - I created MewTwo, a super-powerful clone of Mew. It proved too mighty for me. I have yet to find it." He looked ahead at the wall, clenching his fist, the ring enclosed tightly. "It disturbs me that right now, somebody could be suffering because of that monster I brought to life."

He stopped for a moment, his brain clearing, releasing his hold on the angry emotions. He reluctantly put the ring back in the case. "What disturbs me more is that once upon a time, I was that monster, too."

He sat back down, heaving another sigh. "I know you're wondering, so I'll tell you what got me to justice." He folded his fingers together and placed them on the desk, facing Kole, whose head was light.

"I'm sure you've heard of Red? Champion Red?"

"Yes, sir, he defeated Champion Green five years ago and remains champion. However, he is never present, so they have Dragon Master Lance stand in for him. I've studied the top three Elite Four organizations, and I plan on attempting to become champion over Sinnoh's Elite Four."

"Hah." Giovanni shook his head. "Good, good. Well, Red and I fought several times, and he beat me every time, usually being caught off-guard or taking it easy. The boy was only ten, you know. It was the last time, when he fought me for the Viridian gym badge, that his silence struck me. I realized I was being stupid. I've hurt countless people and pokemon alike." He opened his hands and looked at the palms. "These hands are covered in blood and pain and terrible deeds that I'd rather not tell you. If I could take it back, I would, but if I were to even try, I'd be arrested. It's not like I can just stand out on the streets screaming, 'I'm sorry for leading Team Rocket for twenty years!'

"So, that very day, I decided to shut down Team Rocket. I did. The men and women under my wing had no idea what to do with their lives - I, and crime, were the only things they had ever known. I traveled, trying to find the right place to stay, for three years.

"I was right on the border of Kanto and Johto, at Tohjo Falls, training, when they started broadcasting the Team Rocket Radio Tower Heist, as they call it. They begged me to come back. I was about to, but a boy, he had Red's eyes, that same determination... He defeated me in battle as I was exiting. I had been about to turn back to that life, but... He stopped me. Through extension of this boy, Red had stopped me _again._ I knew that if I didn't leave both regions, this would keep happening, and Team Rocket, as well as my bad deeds, would keep living. I left and arrived in Canalave City on a ferry. Mt. Coronet posed no problems, and when I reached Snowpoint, I made an effort to belong.

"However, it would seem Team Rocket is back, under the control of someone new. I will not let it go on. They're expanding to even _here,_ in Sinnoh. They need to be stopped." he rubbed his eyes and exhaled. "But going out in the open means I risk discovery and everything I've built here will be torn down and ripped to shreds."

Kole, who had been watching and listening, spoke softly. "You don't have to go alone."

Giovanni looked up at the young boy, still in his wet socks and pajamas. "You're still a kid. This is dangerous, and your parents would never allow you to leave with me."

Kole smiled. "But they don't have to know. They can think they took me, too. It wouldn't be too unbelievable." He took Rain down from his shoulders and cradled her in his arms. "Besides, I'm seventeen. I can take care of myself. I'm just concerned with getting my friends back." He didn't admit it, but he also thought highly of Giovanni. From what he'd said, he saw him as a troubled man who wished to redeem himself.

Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "You seem determined enough. Just don't make me babysit you. I've never been a fan of children."

"I'm not a child." Kole muttered.

"Hah. Prove it. You're going to need some clothes. Yours are soaked through from the snow." Giovanni stood up. "I wonder if you'll fit into anything of mine. Here, try on the jacket. It might be too large..."

Kole put on the orange suit's jacket when it was handed to him. Giovanni stepped back, giving him a once over.

"A little large in the shoulders wand waist, but overall, not bad. It will do."

"You're giving me your suit to travel in?"

Giovanni howled with laughter. "No, my boy! The _size_ will do! This is precious to me. No offense, I wouldn't give this to anyone! The material, for all these years, is just as vibrant as the day I bought it... I imagine it still smells of he parties I attended..."

Kole silently pulled the sleeve up to his nose and sniffed it, expecting dust. Instead, it smelled of women's perfume and alcohol.

"You idiot! That doesn't mean you should smell my suit!" Giovanni held out a hand. "Hand it to me. We'll go and find you some clothes you can wear."

Kole gingerly gave it over. Giovanni hung it with the other parts of the suit, gave it one last look, and said, "You know, for all of the bad things I did then, I don't want to forget my time as Team Rocket head.I had friends then that I miss now." He looked down. "I had a son I should have raised."

He shepherded Kole out and relocked the door, putting the key back around his neck on a string


	5. Otherside 1

**Chapter 4 - Otherside 1**

****"Miss Giovanni."

"Yes, Tracer?"

Tracer sat down across from the frail, china-skinned girl. Ora didn't take good care of herself anymore. She had inheritetd all of her father's money and with it, had torn down her childhood home and had a new mansion built. The location of this new mansion was back in the dense forestry behind Olivine City, where no wandering eyes or minds would discover them. She was as secluded as before, but this time she had Tracer to take care of her.

She was permanently paralyzed, requiring constant assisstance. Tracer had been confirmed as her new guardian, technically holding custody over her after parents' deaths. He felt bad for the child; it was as if he picked her up he could break her into two on accident. The light he had seen in her before the accident had left, leaving them dull, empty husks.

Tracer sighed. "Miss Giovanni, there is troubling news."

"News is news, my dear." Ora frowned more than usual. "Well, go on. Money loss?"

Tracer shook his head and said, "No. There are rumors of an old man and a teenager going out, looking for you." Tracer slid a black and white photo of Giovanni and Kole across the table.

She glanced at it, then looked back up at Tracer with a frown. "If they set foot on Johto or Kanto soil, send Sunari after them." Upon further inspection of the photos, she saw the identification number of the camera in the far right matched a camera in Sinnoh. "Actually, have Sunari wait in Canalave. They're sure to make it there if they have any brains in their heads."

"Sunari?" Tracer's eyebrows pulled together. "Why not Kiko?"

"Sunari may not be very powerful, but she can get the information we want without spilling any of our own. Kiko is a danger to our organization if sent for intel. She can kill, Sunari can gather info. We aren't looking to slaughter these two men." She chuckled once. "Well, not yet, anyway. I do believe it's getting late. Would you help me into bed?"

"Yes, Miss Giovanni."

Ora wheeled herself to the oaken door of her library, which Tracer then pulled open. He then took a firm grasp on her wheelchair and pushed her through countless hallways through which he had traversed for four years now. Everything seemed the same, even the same broken feeling emitting from Ora. She would have hit him for even proposing such a terrible thing, but he knew it was the truth.

From the day he had been called by the ten year old girl, he had known that she was weak, that she blamed herself for the death of her sister. He knew that with the money and influence and lack of empathy of a small child, Ora would be something new and terrible and he decided to stay back to protect her. That day, he shed a part of Tobias Aldridge so he might become Tracer.

They stopped in front of more oaken doors, her bedroom, and he pushed her inside next to the bed where he lit a candle and handed her a long night dress. He left the room as she managed to dress and undress most of her self.

He re-entered and pulled the pleated skirt she had been wearing off of her from underneath her night dress. He placed it in a hamper in the corner of the room, then took off her shoes and socks, placing the socks in the hamper and leaving the shoes by the side of her bed. Finally, he stood up straight, noticed a wrinkle in the night dress and he smoothed it out indifferently.

He tossed back a corner of the bedsheets and tucked Ora into the sheets. She was laying, sleep visibly hazing her eyes. She smiled, and he asked, "What?"

She said, "These last years, you've been more of a father to me than my own was my entire life. I just realized. Thank you."

Tracer blinked; the statement shocked him, the cold servant side not knowing what to say, the part that was still Tobias wanting to cry tears of joy. He only chuckled. "Good night."

Tracer blew out the candle and exited. He had to leave for on to give Sunari her orders. He had his cellphone on him, so he dialed her number. When she picked up, he said simply, "Meet me at the usual."

The usual meant The Golden Lapras, which took Tracer a ten-minute motorcycle ride through the forest. When he stepped into the brightly-lit cafè, it wasn't hard to spot Sunari.

The petite Indian girl was dresssed in ankle-length dresses of exotic color, as usual. Her long dark hair was braided, and a red jewel glistened like a drop of blood in its perch between her eyebrows. Her eyes gazed around the restaraunt as she sat humped over, her head propped up with one hand. When her eyes met Tracer's, she stiffened.

Tracer smiled to himself, remembering Ora's words: "A little fear is good motivation."

He sat down in the booth, across from Sunari. She nodded.

"What is Giovanni's mission for me, sir?"

"There is a boy and a man we need you to wait for in Sinnoh." He slid the photos he showed Ora across the table to Sunari, where she took a quick glance and hastily stuffed them into her purse.

"What will I do after that, sir?

"They're trying to track down Giovanni, so get their names, motivations, and stop them at all costs if possible. You'll wait for them in Canalave, where you will confront them. It will be a solo mission." Tracer handed her an envelope that she promptly stuffed into her purse. "Tha is your ferry ticket to Canalave. Once tghey showup, you do what I've told you. Call me and receive the code for your ferry ticket back." Tracer stood up. he scent of coffee made his mouth water, but he decided against the urge to buy a cup. "If any problems arise, call me. When you learn their names, call me. If anything out of the normal happens, call me. If you're in doubt, call me. You get the picture."

"Yes sir."

"Good luck, Sunari."

"Thank you sir."

As Tracer turned to leave, he turned back and spoke softly. "Our leader appreciates the work you do and understands your wish to stay out of the violence. Use your pokemon as a last resort."

Sunari turned a deep, embarrassed scarlet. "Give Giovanni my thanks, sir."

Tracer nodded and left.


	6. Roark

**Chapter 5 - Roark**

The gym was dark and smelled of mold and moss. A few flood lights illuminated the path for Kole and Giovanni.

In the past weeks, the two had grown a strange bond as mentor and pupil. In the nights, Giovanni would practice with Kole, and Kole had grown considerably stronger. If worst came to worst, Kole would be able to hold his own.

Giovanni called out, "Roark!" The name echoed in the dim light. "We are here on important business. It's Basilio!"

For a moment or two, they waited, expecting to hear some kind of noise echo into their ears, but nothing happened. They continued walking. The red-violet haired man emerged from the shadows. Kole noticed that he was far different from what the commercials for the Pokemon League showed him to be. He was pale, he had grown quite a bit of stubble, and all of his muscles were bulging. A crack on one of the lenses of his glasses gave the appearance of a spider's web, cascading across his left eye.

Giovanni clapped Roark on the back, though Roark was less than pleased. "Roark, my boy! You look more and more like your father every time I see you."

Roark frowned. "Don't pretend that we're old friends, Basilio. My father is dead. You wouldn't just barge in and act so happy if you knew we were still in mourning. Now what is your important business?" His eyes were aged and bore deep holes into Giovanni.

Giovanni stepped back and stopped touching Roark, caught in the bluff. Kole remained silent. "Well, we were wondering if an organization came through here seeking volunteers for drug testing."

Roark furrowed his thick eyebrows. "Why would I know something like that? I don't deal with any of that."

Roark turned to leave, but Kole asked, "Have you had many challengers lately?" and he stopped, turning back around to face the dark-haired boy.

His face was halfway consumed by the shadow. All Kole could see was the reflection off of his glasses, shining brightly. Roark was silent for a moment, then, "Not for a while, no."

Kole spoke strongly, confidently, "This organization has been taking primarily men and boys who show strength and courage or other strong traits. Some volunteered, while others were forcibly taken. As far as we know, it's only happened in Snowpoint City, far in the north. We're trying to find out where they left to."

Roark had a blank expression, an icy mask set up to conceal any emotion left in this husk of a tired man. He mused, "You're a long way from home, aren't you, boy? I don't get many challenges either way. No, I don't think that's what's happened here. It is possible that they passed through." He turned to face Giovanni. "Basilio, how long ago did it happen?"

"We've been traveling for about a month now. We emerged from Mt. Coronet and circled around the eastern part of Sinnoh and made our way back to Oreburgh. Nobody in the east saw them, so we suspect they didn't ferry from Sunyshore, and we know they didn't ferry from Snowpoint, so now we feel that they left Sinnoh from Canalave City."

Roark nodded slowly. "I see. Well, I can't help you. That's where I've been for a while is Canalave. My father, you know. I don't know if they came through here or not."

"Oh, no, we understand that they came through. We just want to see if they took anyone else."

"Now, how do you know they left Sinnoh? Basilio, since you're new to the region, you're probably not familiar with them, but it may be Team Galac-"

Giovanni cut him off. "No, Roark. Their intentions were to leave for Kanto."

"And how do you know?"

Kole piped up. "That's what was on the sign up sheets."

"That would be dumb. It's like unveiling where your HQ is. That can't be it. Did you recognize them? What organization?"

For simplicity's sake, Kole lied. "Nobody knows. Besides, that's all we have to go on. What else can we do?"

Roark sighed. "I suppose that's true." He turned around and finally re-submerged himself into the dark, shadowy crevice he had been in when they entered. They took this as a goodbye.

Outside, Giovanni and Kole looked at each other. Kole stated flatly, "Well, at least we know nobody else is gone." Giovanni just nodded. Kole kept speaking. "I doubt they'd do it in Jubilife either, because of just how large it is. If they attempted it, more people would care."

"Sad, but true. Come on, we need to leave."

"Are we going to spar tonight?"

"No. We need to move quickly, on to Canalave, so we can catch a ferry soon."

"Maybe Nanny can fly us." Nanny was a Tropius Kole had received as a Christmas present a few years ago. She towered over anyone or anything he could find, but she never liked the cold weather of Snowpoint, so she usually stayed in the PC.

Giovanni shook his head. "No, the both of us are too heavy for her."

Kole cast his eyes down. "Alright.


	7. A Shadow

**Chapter 6 - A Shadow**

As Sunari boarded the ferry, she looked around, at the other passengers, flashing the tickets and stepping on, blissfully unaware of any kind of trouble. She glanced at her own ticket, asking quietly to herself, "Where is my cabin?" Her eyes darted about the clean white walls, noticing a directory. Once she had spotted her cabin, she shuffled along.

She was about halfway to her cabin when her phone rang loudly, startling her. The cutesy ringtone was cut off abruptly as she flipped the phone open. "Hello?" She continued walking, legs stretching the fabric of her long dress as far as it would go so she might get to privacy faster.

"Sunari, don't get on the ferry," Kiko Takahashi commanded. She was another Team Rocket admin, a tough Asian woman, who was a good friend of Sunari and had great influence over her. "Wait and I'll go with you. Giovanni is crazy if he thinks he's sending you out of the region on your own."

"Sorry," Sunari muttered, "I'm already on." The ground beneath her lurched, the ship's horn blew, and she struck a palm against the wall to help keep her balance. "It appears we just set sail."

Kiko was silent for a moment, and Sunari asked quietly, "Kiko?"

Kiko replied hastily, "Be careful. I won't be able to get to you for a few days if you're in Canalave. I'll make it there, but you have to promise you won't get into any kind of trouble. You have to -" Kiko's voice was drowned out by static.

"What was that?" Sunari asked, concerned.

"You have - gym - older - power -"

"Kiko, you're cutting out." Sunari's palms began to sweat. She wasn't good under peer pressure. Pressure from Giovanni she could handle because it was professional pressure. The idea of letting a friend down, though, that was something she didn't like to face. "Kiko, speak clearly."

"Be care -"

There was a beep. Sunari paused, her feet stopping their movement. Her phone's bright blue screen was flashing, "CALL DROPPED." She sighed, continuing the walk to her cabin.

Inside the cabin, she sat on the bed wearily, placing her suitcase at the foot of it. The sea air left her nauseated and in need of company of some kind, but the ferry had a policy that Pokemon of poisonous nature or capabilities be kept in their pokeballs. Heaving another sigh, she laid back on the bed, letting the waves rock her gently to an uneasy sleep.

Two days later she and other tourists would step off the boat, some ravaged by sea sickness, others sad to see the ferry ride end. Sunari attempted to call Kiko but there was no answer. Frustrated, she watched her surroundings, deciding to find a hotel to stay in while she waited for the two trouble makers to show up for a ride to Kanto.

* * *

Three days had passed when Kole and Giovanni emerged from Jubilife's wild lights to pass through to Canalave. The city was alive, but nowhere near as bright and hyper as Jubilife. One side of the city was on the side of a large metal bridge that could fold up to allow ferries underneath. The other half was on the other side. Underneath their feet was cobblestone, something Kole had only ever seen on television. A few quaint shops surrounded them, open for business even though the day was almost over. When they crossed the bridge they noticed all of the important buildings were on this side; there was an empty gym, an old public library, and the ferry offices.

The sun was just setting, leaving the town bathed in glorious shades of gold. Hues of orange, blue, yellow, and even green splached against the sone banks of the outlet underneath the bridge, which was powerful, but reddish-brown in color due to rust. Kole's eyes sparkled, the visual poetry laid out in front of him. He called out Rain, giving her the opportunity to see the wondrous sight. It was a luxury that would soon be taken away from him. Once in Kanto, people weren't supposed to know they were from Sinnoh. Glaceon could only be evolved at Snowpoint, leaving him to stick out like a sore thumb.

Giovanni spoke to him, trying to guide him out of his stupor, but he only nodded, an excited sensation running through his brain as he took in all of the sights and smells and sounds. In his excitement, he accidentally bumped into a short Indian woman.

She had been knocked flat on her back, appearing like a colorfully painted turtle. Kole turned scarlet and scrambled to help her up. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, fluttering her eyelashes. "I wasn't looking where I was going and -"

Kole cut her off. "No, it was entirely my fault."

The girl floundered, finally asking, "What's your name?"

Kole, surprised at the sudden questioning, pulled his eyebrows together and replied slowly, "I'm Kole. This is Basilio. Are you alright?"

She briefly touched her head with her fingertips. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry." With that, she stumbled into a nearby cafe. Kole and Giovanni glanced at each other, bewildered.

"Well _that_ wasn't suspicious," Giovanni rolled his eyes, speaking sarcastically. He continued forward. "I won't be surprised if we don't see her again."

Kole frowned, following as Rain trotted behind him. "Well gosh, I just ran into her. She was a little surprised, that's all."

Giovanni turned and began a long tirade. "I told you repeatedly to let me do the talking. We trust no one that we don't know, how many times have I told you that? She could have been anyone, she could be a part of Team Rocket, and now they have our first names. It won't be long for them to look you up as some idiot kid from a snowy wasteland and me as the town's gym leader. Of course, they won't know who I really am, but they'll know you, and that's compromising. You're just a kid, let the adult handle it next time."

Kole flushed red, trying to control his temper. Any time he did anything that wasn't pre-approved, he got yelled at. He ground his teeth together a few times, then calmly replied, "If you want to, follow her. She's in the cafe, I saw her go in. Ride your damned high horse, I can survive without you." He picked up Rain, walking faster. She squealed in protest.

The reaction had been so sudden, and Kole had never gotten angry before, just rolled his eyes and ignored him, so Giovanni could only think to call out, "Wait for me at camp!"

"I'm taking my stuff and going on my own," Kole replied. He rounded a corner and was gone.

The cold night air blew against Giovanni's tall frame. Turning around, he started heading to the cafe. He told himself that if he didn't stay, he'd show up eventually; Kole wasn't an idiot. Every time Giovanni said something about his age, he got all touchy-feely, and Giovanni knew it meant Kole had decided that he was an adult.

"Tch." He smiled and began to jog towards the cafe. A bird cawed somewhere in the distance, and he listened to its loud cry fade into the night.


End file.
